Kentucky Fried Chicken
by suzie2b
Summary: Charley wants to give Tully a little taste of home.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Kentucky Fried Chicken**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **Tully had been out of sorts lately. He had sent one of his sister's a birthday present, but he knew it wouldn't get there until after the day. He missed being home for holidays and birthdays, seeing his sisters faces light up when they opened their gifts. He was missing a lot of things about home lately.**

 **Charley was leaning against Tully as they sat in a shady spot they'd found away from the business of Ras Tanura. She watched the matchstick in his mouth move and shift as he got lost in his thoughts. He looked a bit sad. Finally, Charley took the matchstick and kissed Tully softly on the lips. "Penny for your thoughts?"**

 **He smiled a little then. "Thinking about home. My family. I mailed off a birthday present to my middle sister, Beth. She'll be fifteen in a few days. I wish I'd been here to mail it off sooner."**

 **Charley understood his feelings. She missed her Aunt Emily terribly at times. "Besides your family … what do you miss most about home?"**

 **Tully looked at her and his smile grew. "My mom's fried chicken. All brown and crispy. Every other Sunday for dinner. With macaroni and cheese. Biscuits. Vegetables with gravy. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it."**

 **Charley grinned. "You put gravy on your vegetables?"**

 **Tully raised his eyebrows. "Doesn't everyone?"**

 **##########################**

" _ **Dear Mrs. Pettigrew,**_

 _ **I am writing to you because Tully has been missing home more than usual lately. As you can guess, the food here is a bit—how can I say it—a bit lacking. Tully has mentioned that he misses your Sunday fried chicken meals. I was wondering if you might share your recipes with me so I can give Tully a little taste of home with me and a few of his friends. Thank you in advance, but if you are reluctant to part with it I totally understand.**_

 _ **All the best, Charley Williams"**_

 **Charley was impatient about getting an answer from Tully's mother. Letters tended to take a good two weeks to get to their destination. It was now six-and-half weeks since she'd mailed her letter.**

 **Tully was out on a mission with Troy, Moffitt and Hitch when the awaited response arrived in the form of a box. She wasn't expecting a box, but she was happy it had finally arrived.**

 **Charley hurried to her quarters and opened it. "Oh my, Mrs. Pettigrew. What have you done?"**

 **She found a letter inside that read:**

" _ **My Dear Charley,**_

 _ **I'm so glad you wrote. Tully always states in his letters that he misses us, but I guess I never realized just how much. Most of what he writes about centers around you and his friends, and a bit about his exploits in the desert. I'm sure he tells you often, but he loves you very much. We, the Pettigrew family, are looking so forward to meeting you someday.**_

 _ **Now, on to the recipes. I have included in this package all the ingredients you will need, with the exception of the chicken and the oil to fry it in. I trust that those two things can be found where you are. There should be enough flour and seasonings for at least two good sized birds. Also, there is a bag of the macaroni shells that I use and a box of Velveeta. I hope it all works out. Please let us know. Just a hint: Tully has a fondness for legs. Chicken legs that is! Well maybe … oh never mind!**_

 _ **Love, Mrs. Pettigrew"**_

 **Charley laughed as she started to look through the ingredients and smiled when she found a package with Tully's name on it. Then she found one with her name. She carefully opened it and found a photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Pettigrew along with Katy and Beth. There was a note included that read:** _ **"Next time we expect both you and Tully to be in the picture with us."**_

 **Charley was choked up and a few tears fell, but she smiled as she placed the picture on the dresser with those of her aunt and father.**

 **##########################**

 **As soon as The Rat Patrol arrived back at base, Charley sent a note to Troy.**

 **Moffitt asked, "Anything important?"**

 **Troy quickly read through the short note. "It's from Charley. She wants to meet with you, me, and Hitch in the alley behind the supply depot at 1700 hours. We're not to tell Tully."**

 **Moffitt smiled. "Sounds intriguing."**

 **At the appointed time and place, Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch found Charley waiting.**

 **Troy asked, "What's going on, Charley?"**

" **I want to surprise Tully. I wrote to his mother and she sent me all the ingredients to make his favorite fried chicken meal. But I'm going to need some help."**

 **Moffitt grinned. "That should lift his spirit quite a bit."**

 **Hitch chuckled mischievously. "What can we do?"**

 **Charley explained, "Jack, I need you to keep Tully busy tomorrow. I don't need him searching the base for me and ruining the surprise."**

 **Moffitt nodded. "That shouldn't be too much of a problem."**

 **Charley looked at Hitch. "Go find two of the plumpest chickens you can."**

" **Right. I know just the place to get 'em."**

" **Sam, I have a feeling I may need a little help procuring a small area in Cookie's kitchen and a couple of other things to make this happen."**

 **Troy chuckled and nodded his agreement.**

 **##########################**

 **The next morning after breakfast, Moffitt found Tully leaving the mess hall with Charley. "I've been looking all over for you, Tully. Captain Boggs wants you and me to go to Lod to pick up a special order."**

 **Tully frowned. "Why us?"**

" **We'll be faster than a convoy and the captain wants it as soon as possible. We'll be back before dinner."**

 **Tully sighed and looked at Charley. "I guess I'll see you at dinner then."**

 **They kissed and Charley smiled. "I guess you will. Be careful."**

 **As Moffitt and Tully walked away, Troy, who had been waiting just out of sight, joined Charley and smiled. "Ready?" She nodded. "Let's go."**

 **Cookie looked at Charley like she was crazy. "You want what?"**

 **Charley pleaded, "Just a small space. I don't need an oven, just a stove will do. Please? I promise not to get in your way and I'll clean everything I use."**

 **Cookie looked from Charley to Troy. "Is she kidding?"**

 **Troy shook his head. "I'd hate to have to make this an order."**

 **Finally the cook relented and pointed to a corner piled high with pots and pans. "There's a stove and oven over there I don't use much. Take whatever you need."**

 **Charley excitedly gave Cookie a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you! Thank you! I'll be back this afternoon."**

 **##########################**

 **When Hitch showed up with the chickens later in the day, he found Troy clearing off the stovetop and counter. "Where's Charley?"**

 **Charley set the box with the ingredients on the counter and said, "She's right here. I see you got the chicken."**

" **Best I could find."**

 **Charley grinned. "They look perfect." She handed Hitch a list. "Cookie said we could use whatever we need. I need those things."**

 **Hitch read the short list. "Okay, I'm on it."**

 **##########################**

 **When Moffitt and Tully arrived back at base, Tully complained, "I'm starving. Who the heck would take K-Rations out of the jeep anyway?"**

 **Moffitt managed not to smile too much, as he had been the one to remove the rations. "I'm sure it was probably some kids looking for a quick meal. Just think, you'll appreciate your dinner a lot more now." He held up the "special order", which was actually an empty envelope he'd picked up while Tully had waited with the jeep in Lod. "I'll go ahead and drop this with Captain Boggs. Why don't you go on and get something to eat. With luck Charley will already be at the mess hall."**

 **Tully nodded. "Yeah. Okay."**

 **Moffitt watched the private walk away and around a corner. Then he took a different route to the mess hall.**

 **##########################**

 **When Tully entered the mess hall he saw Troy and Hitch setting a table at the far end with real plates and flatware. He walked over and asked, "What's goin' on? Special guest?"**

 **Troy smiled. "Yeah, something like that."**

 **Hitch disappeared into the kitchen with Tully looking on curiously. "What's going on, sarge?"**

" **Why don't you have a seat and find out. I'll be right back."**

 **As Troy went into the kitchen, Tully sat down tentatively. Moments later Troy, Hitch, and Moffitt, who had snuck in the back way, walked out of with bowls of vegetables, gravy, macaroni and cheese, and biscuits. Trailing the procession was Charley with a huge platter of fried chicken. She set it down in front of Tully with the biggest grin anyone had seen.**

 **Tully looked at them, then at the food. It looked right. It smelled right. He looked at Charley and stammered, "How did you…"**

 **Charley took off the oversized apron she been wearing. "I wrote to your mother and asked for her recipes. She was more than happy to share and sent me everything I needed for this." She put a plump leg on his plate. "Try it."**

 **They all watched as Tully took a bite. His eyes lit up and he grinned. "Wow! It tastes like home. Thanks everybody."**

 **As they sat down, Moffitt said, "This was all Charley's doing from the letter to the cooking. We just did what we were told."**

 **Everyone started to load up their plates and Charley loaded up an extra one. Tully asked, "Who's that one for?"**

 **Charley grinned. "A very special person without whom this would not have been possible." She walked back into the kitchen and handed the plate to Cookie. "Enjoy."**

 **It was the first time she'd seen the man smile. He said, "Um … don't worry about cleaning up. I'll have a couple of my guys do it."**

 **##########################**

 **After everyone had eaten their fill and was sitting back relaxing, Charley moved Tully's empty plate and set a package in its place. "Your mom sent it along with the rest of the things."**

 **Tully smiled and opened it. He wiped at his eyes as Charley looked over his shoulder. It was a picture of his family around the dinner table, eating the same meal they had just consumed. The picture was taken from the perspective of where Tully would have sat if he were there with them.**


End file.
